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(No Model.) 3 Shets-Sheet 1. G. LA DOW. SPRING TOOT'H HARROW.

Patented Mar; 16, 1 886.

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(No Model.) 3 sheets- -sheet 2.

0. LA now. SPRING TOOTH HARROW. 110,338,176. Patented Mar. 16, .1886.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

0. LA DOW.

SPRING TOOTH HARROW.

(No Model.)

Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LA DOW, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

SPRING-TOOTH HARROW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,176, dated March16, 1886.

Application filed February 1, 1886. Serial No. 190,463. (No modclfi .Toall whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, CHARLES LA DOW, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Albany, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Tooth Harrows, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to spring-tooth harrows; and the objects of theinvention are to so construct spring-tooth harrows that they shall belighter, more elastic, more serviceable, and more convenient than thoseheretofore made.

Myinvention consists in combining springteeth with an elastic or springframe in such manner that the frame shall yield considerably when theteeth are severely strained, and shall vibrate continually in concertwith the vibration of the spring-teeth.

My invention further consists in attaching alight draft-pole loosely toa low harrow-frame in such manner that the harrow cannot jump forwardtoward the team, and the team can swerve or turn around just as free asif they were attached to the harrow by whiftletrees and traces only,drawing the harrow around a curve as if no pole were attached.

My invention further consists in laying metal frame-bars across eachother, which bars are not capable of embedding themselves into eachother, and holding them in their relative desired position by clamps,which cause sufficient frictional contact between said bars to hold themin place.

My invention further consists in mounting a jointed-frame harrow onwheels which take into the ground and prevent the teeth from trailing orswerving into each others tracks, and which also serve for gaging thedepth of penetration of the teeth, and in connecting said wheels tomechanism which acts upon all the series of wheels simultaneously tovary their position relatively to the frame, the wheels beingdistributed about the sections of the jointed frame, and thewheel-connections being arranged to permit the sections to work up anddown on their hinged connections.

My invention further consists in making a spring-tooth adjustable on aspring or elastic frame.

My invention also consists in other details of construction afterwarddescribed and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan view of my invention,showing series of wheels arranged to balance the jointed sec tions ofthe frame. Fig. 2 represents a side view of my invention, showing theteeth in full lines elevated above the ground andin dotted linesarranged to penetrate the soil. Fig. 3 represents a section of theelastic frame and a top view of the method of clamping the frame-barstogether, also showing a top view of one tooth attached to theframe-bars. Fig. 4 represents a side sectional view of the framebars,the casting which clamps them together,

and a portion of a tooth resting in a groove formed on the under side ofsaid casting; also, the clip below the tooth and the clip above theframe-bars, and one of the bolts used for clamping all of said partstogether. Fig. 5 represents a rear end view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 representsan edge view of one of the supporting-wheels and the method of mountingthe wheel on its hub within the jaws of its leverframe. Fig. 7represents a top view of the casting in which the frame-bars rest attheir point of contact with each other. Fig. 8 represents a sectionalenlarged view of the sectional hub adapted to be screwed together andgrasp one of the supportingwheels, also showing the core or spindle onwhich said hub revolves. Fig. 9 represents by full lines a side view ofa section of the frame and one tooth attached thereto, and by dottedlines the deflection or spring of the elastic frame in concert with thespring of the tooth when passing an obstruction. Fig. 10 represents aside view of the inner pair of wheels arranged in line with the jointswhich hinge the section together, the link which unites the front andback wheels together, and the ratchet-and-lever mechanism for holdingthe wheels at the desired elevation relative to the frame-bars. Fig. 11represents a rear view of the lever and its ratchet; also showingsections of the rods which connect the inner wheels to those near theouter sides of the harrow. Fig. 12 represents a sectional enlarged topview of said connecting-rods, the lever-pin which turns with the lever,and which rocks said rods in their bearings; also a section of the linkwhich connects the inner wheels together. Fig. 13 represents a top Viewof a harrow-frame consisting of round rods with the teeth clampedthereto, as heretofore described, and having the frame balanced onwheels which are adjustable independently of each other, said adjustmentbeing regulated by friction-clamps gripping the wheel-jaws to the sideof the harrow-frame. Fig. 1 L represents a side View of a harrowframecomposed of round rods, having the series of wheels each independentyadjustable. Fig. 15 represents an enlarged sectional top view of myimproved method of clamping the round bars of the harrow-frame together.7

In the drawings, A A represent the framebars of the harrow, which crosseach other, and are held in place relatively to each other by thefriction plate or casting F. The framebars rest in the grooves a a inthe casting F,

: and are clamped and held there in the proper relation to each other bymeans of the clips f f, and the clamping-bolts H H, which unite thetooth B. frame-bars, casting F, and clips together. The teeth B may beremoved and the bolts drawn to unite the castings and framebar and clipstogether for transportation, the teeth being removed so that the barrowswill pack more closely.

The sections of the barrow-frame are hinged together by joints 0 0,which permit the sections to move up and down independently of eachother at their outer sides, their inner sides moving in concert.

6 represents a bearing-beam for supporting the pivoted jaws E E, inwhich the wheels 0 are mounted.

G G represent a sectional hub, which is adapted to tightly clamp thewheel 0 and revolve therewith on the core or spindle S. The

: bolt 9 passes through the jaws E E and clamps said jaws firmly againstthe end of the core 9, to prevent its rotation. The hub G G is somewhatshorter than its spindle, and can revolve freely thereon.

The wheels 0 O C O are distributed throughout the frame,and occupy suchposition as shall balance the joint-ed sections and enable them tomaintain all parts of the frame at a uniform distance from the ground.The wheels 0 have sharp edges, and are adapted to cut into the groundand prevent side motion or swerving of the harrow, incident to othermachines of this class,when running lengthwise of furrows of hardground. These wheels also serve to raise and lower the frame-bars andtheir attached teeth. The series of wheels are united by the rods I Iand the link K, all of which are coupled to the lever G in such mannerthat the rocking of said lever back-ward or forward raises or lowerssaid wheels and holds them in any desired position up or down relativelyto the harrow-frame. The rods I I are preferably square, and areadapted, when rocked, to turn thejaws E E with them in either direction.The lever G is mounted on a pin, 01, which is preferably square incross-section,

and therods I I are hinged to said pin and conform to the hinge motionof the sections of the harrow-frame. The ratchet M is mounted firmly onthe bar K, and operates in connection with the dog on the lever in awell-known way.

The evener-bar D is attached to the harrowframe by links (I d in theusual flexible manner. The pole D is pivoted to the evener-loar, so asto swing freely thereon when the machine is being turned around,enabling a team to draw the harrow around acurve as readily as if nopole were attached, while the pole serves to prevent backward andforward jumping of the frame when the harrow-teeth are passing over hardground or obstructions.

The barrow-teeth B are preferably made of spring-steel and curved in awell known way, and they are each adapted to beindependently adjusted,so as to regulate their pitch, which. may be done by loosening the boltsH H and sliding the tooth endwise and retightening the said bolts. Ifthe'casting F were omitted,the tooth could be clamped directly to theframebars.

The frame-bars of the harrow are preferably made of thin metal adaptedto spring or yield, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, when the teethare strained severely in passing obstructions. These frame-bars willalso vibrate in concert with the vibration of the springteeth when doingtheir usual work, and thus render the operation of the teeth more effective and increase their durability, as with this frame it isimpossibleunder any circumstances to break the teeth of the harrow.

Other 'frame-barssuch as'shown in Figs. 13, 14, and 15may be used, ifdesired, with my improved method of raising and lowering the teeth; butsuch frame is not elastic, and I prefer the construction heretoforedescribed.

Said Figs. 13, 14, and 15, show how the wheels 0 C may be adjustedindependently of each other. The bars I I may be placed in any desiredposition on the harrow-frame, and wheels 0 G maybe adjusted either as aseries or indepedently, rigid teeth may be substituted and attached tothe elastic frame in any manner desired and the pole may be rigidlyattached to the evener-bar, the rods d d allowing the pole to swervesidewise rela-- tively to the harrow, and the other features of myinvention may be used separately or together, according to theinclination of the manufacturer or the nature of the work to be done,and remain within the limits of my in- Vention, which comprehends anyorganization of parts which shall enable a pole to be coupled to aspring-tooth harrowframe (whether elastic or rigid) so that the poleshall have side motion independent of the harrow.

My inventionalso comprehends any organization of wheels, runners, orother instrumentalities which shall balance the sections of a jointedbarrow-frame, and shall also prevent the trailing of the teeth in eachothers tracks.

My invention also contemplates, broadly, an elastic frame forbarrow-teeth, composed of metal, adapted to spring in concert with anystrain upon the teeth when combined with either rigid or spring teeth.

The frame-bars of this harrow are not adapted to be embedded into eachother, whether round, square, or flat bars be used, but are held intheir proper position by friction only. Heavy flat bars of metal may beused in the frame and not adapted to spring; but I prefer the elasticframe as being lighter and more efficient.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. AhtllOWfl2LI1l6 composed of the springhars A A, crossing each other, andspring-teeth mounted on the bars at their junction with each other, incombination with means adapted to clamp the teeth and bars together.

2. A sectional barrow-frame consisting of the elastic bars A A, crossingeach other, springteeth mounted on the bars at their point ofjunctionwith each other, and hinges between the sections.

3. A barrow-frame composed of the elastic bars A A, crossing each otherdiagonally, spring-teeth mounted on the bars and supported solely fromthe points where the bars cross each other, and means adapted to unitethe bars and teeth at their point ofjunction.

4. A barrow-frame composed of bars crossing each other, teeth mounted onthe bars, so as to be supported from the points where the bars crosseach other, and clamp-bolts arranged in two opposite angles formed bythe crossing bars, which hold the bars relatively to each other withoutbeing perforated or embedded into each other.

5. A jointed barrow-frame and spring-teeth, in combination with wheelsadapted to balance the sections, and also to out into the ground, so asto prevent swerving of the harrow-frame.

6. The combination of a barrow-frame, spring-teeth thereon adapted tohook into the earth as they are drawn forward, and a pole pivotedthereto, so as to swing laterally, substantially as described.

7. In a harrow, the combination of the bars A A, spring-teeth B,supportingwheels G G G, the cranked rods I I, the lever J, and the linkK.

8. A barrow-frame composed of fiat metal bars A A, teeth mounted on thebars at the points where they cross each other, in combination withclamp-bolts formed independently of the teeth, which prevent the barsfrom having end motion relatively to each other and. permit adjustmentof the pitch of the teeth.

9. In a harrow, a sectional frame adapted to conform to inequalities ofsurface, springteet-h vibrating on the sections, and wheels or othersupporting devices having contact with the ground at three or morepoints beneath the frame, so as to balance the sections, in combinationwith mechanism whereby the sections can be simultaneously raised orlowered on their supporting devices.

CHARLES LA DOlV.

Witnesses:

B. I. STANTON, Fnnno. HARRIS.

